Johanna Schiavoni
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Appellate Attorney in San Diego, CA
San Diego, CA 92101
- Appellate (80%),
- Business Litigation (20%)
Johanna Schiavoni is certified as a specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California and has more than 17 years of appellate experience. She has argued over 30 cases in the state and federal appellate courts, and has been the principal brief-writer in at least 70. She is also the 2020 President of the San Diego County Bar Association, which serves nearly 10,000 members of the San Diego legal community.
Johanna regularly represents large companies, closely-held corporations, small businesses, and individuals in high-stakes appellate matters. She has participated in cases on subjects ranging from business torts to healthcare law to employment, insurance, contract, and intellectual property disputes. She has also represented clients in anti-SLAPP, unfair competition, securities, and public entity appeals, as well as administrative law and consumer class action litigation.
Recently, Johanna obtained reversal of a summary judgment in the California Court of Appeal in a sexual harassment and hostile work environment case, which resulted in a significant settlement for the client. Johanna also recently obtained reversal of a summary judgment in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which resulted in a favorable financial settlement for the client and brought seven years of litigation to a close.
Johanna has been named to the San Diego Super Lawyers list for Appellate Litigation in each of the past five years, an honor reserved for the top 5% of appellate attorneys and awarded based upon merit selection criteria in addition to review by peer attorneys. In 2018 and 2019, Johanna also was named by Super Lawyers one of San Diego’s “Top 25 Women Attorneys” and among the “Top 50 Attorneys” overall in the region.
Since 2019, Johanna has also served as an Appellate Lawyer Representative to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a small group of attorneys selected by the Circuit’s judges to work on improving the administration of the court and to advance the interests of the appellate bar and clients who appear in the Ninth Circuit.
The San Diego County Bar Association previously awarded Johanna its Community Service Award for her commitment to advancing the interests of women and girls, her work on leadership development, and her commitment to supporting the performing arts. Notably, when elected as the 113th President of the San Diego County Bar Association, Johanna became only the fourteenth woman to serve in that role in the organization’s history.
In 2018, Johanna was appointed by San Diego’s Mayor, and unanimously confirmed by the City Council, to a position on the Board overseeing the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. As a member of the Board, Johanna routinely evaluates multi-million-dollar contracts, oversees implementation of a multi-billion-dollar terminal renovation project, and makes decisions on complex legal matters for the Airport Authority. She also Chairs the Board’s Executive Personnel and Compensation Committee.
Johanna is a 2002 graduate of the UCLA School of Law, and a 1998 graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. She clerked for M. Margaret McKeown on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Diego and Christina Snyder on the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.
Certificates and Credentials
- California Board of Legal Specialization - Appellate Law
Top Lists
About Johanna Schiavoni
Admitted: 2007, California
Professional Webpage: https://calapplaw.com/attorneys/johanna-schiavoni/
Honors/Awards:
- Johanna was recognized by Lawyers Club of San Diego with its Community Service Award at its annual dinner in 2018. The award, established in 1985, honors a Lawyers Club member whose local community activities have served to improve the status of women and to promote equality. Johanna was recognized for her extensive work to advance women through legal, political, philanthropic, and other advocacy work., Community Service Award, Lawyers Club of San Diego, 2018
- Johanna was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as "Best of the Bar.", Best of the Bar, San Diego Business Journal, 2016
- Johanna was selected as the 2014 recipient of the San Diego County Bar Association's prestigious Community Service Award, from more than 11,000 members of the SDCBA. The award recognized Johanna's consistent service to and leadership in San Diego's legal and nonprofit community., Community Service Award, San Diego County Bar Association, 2014
- Johanna was selected as a finalist for San Diego Magazine's 2013 "Women Who Move the City" award, in recognition of her contributions to San Diego's legal and business community. , Women Who Move the City, San Diego Magazine, 2013
- Johanna received SD METRO Magazine's prestigious "40 Under 40" Award for “High Achievement in Business and Civic Affairs for her achievements in the legal profession in addition to her service to numerous nonprofit and professional organizations in San Diego., "40 Under 40” Award for “High Achievement in Business and Civic Affairs”, SD METRO Magazine, 2011
- Johanna has been recognized several times by the State Bar of California with its Manuel W. Wiley Award for Pro Bono Service for donating more than 50 hours of pro bono legal services to indigent clients., Manuel W. Wiley Award for Pro Bono Service , State Bar of California, 2011
- Johanna co-organized a September 2010 program entitled “Pipeline to Leadership: Securing Spots on Boards and Commissions," while serving as Co-Chair of the Leadership Development Committee for the Lawyers Club of San Diego. The program was honored with a national “Outstanding Program” Award from the National Conference of Women Bar Associations., “Outstanding Program” Award to Lawyers Club of San Diego for “Pipeline to Leadership: Securing Spots on Boards and Commissions”, National Conference of Women Bar Associations, 2011
- Johanna was recognized by the San Diego County Bar Association for her work in donating more than 50 hours of pro bono legal services., "Bar Star" Award for Pro Bono Legal Services, San Diego County Bar Association, 2009
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Johanna is a Certified Appellate Specialist by the The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
Bar/Professional Activity:
- San Diego County Bar Association -- President (2020), President-Elect (2019), Vice President (2018), Treasurer (2017), Director (2016-17). Johanna is the 2020 President of the San Diego County Bar Association. Johanna was elected in 2016 to serve on the San Diego County Bar Association’s Board of Directors. The SDCBA serves and represents nearly 10,000 members of the legal profession on a local, statewide and national level. She is only the fourteenth woman to serve as President in the organization’s 120-year history. In addition to serving as Treasurer in 2017, on the Board, Johanna previously served as the inaugural chair of the Public Positions Advisory Group and as chair of the Court Funding Action Committee, which advocates for restoration of funding to the state court system., 2020
- San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Johanna serves on the nine-member Board of Directors overseeing the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Board. The Authority is an independent agency that manages the day-to-day operations of the San Diego International Airport and addresses the region’s long-term air transportation needs. Johanna represents the City of San Diego, as an appointee of Mayor Kevin Faulconer and by unanimous confirmation of the San Diego City Council. She serves as Chair of the Board's Executive Personnel and Compensation Committee, Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, as a representative to the Airport Advisory Committee with stakeholders from across various sectors, and as the Airport's representative to the Transportation Committee of the San Diego Association of Regional Governments., 2020
- Appellate Lawyer Representative, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Since 2019, Johanna has served as an Appellate Lawyer Representative to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, a small group of attorneys selected by the Circuit’s judges to work on improving the administration of the court and to advance the interests of the appellate bar and clients who appear in the Ninth Circuit., 2019
- Lawyers Club of San Diego, past President Johanna served as President of Lawyers Club of San Diego from 2013-2014. Lawyers Club is the second largest bar association in San Diego County, and has as its mission "to advance the status of women in the law and in society." As President, Johanna led the organization to its largest expansion and highest membership levels in the organization's 42-year history, reaching nearly 1300 members. Johanna also presided over the organization's 2014 annual dinner, featuring keynote speaker Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor (ret), the first female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Before taking the reigns as President, Johanna served Lawyers Club as Vice President of Public Relations (2012-2013), Director (2010-2012), Chair – Judicial Elections Endorsements Committee (2012-2013); Chair –Equality Committee (2011-2012); Co-Chair – Leadership Development Committee (2010-2012)., 2014
- Appellate Court Committee, San Diego County Bar AssociationJohanna served in several leadership roles with the ACC —as Civil Rules Subcommittee Chair in 2010 and Programs Chair in 2011. She particularly enjoyed working with the Court of Appeal and Committee to put on continuing education programs, including: “Ethical Issues for the Appellate Practitioner” and “Motion Practice on Appeal and the Appellate Remedy.” , 2010
- American Constiution Society, San Diego Lawyer Chapter, Board MemberAs a Board member of the American Constitution Society's San Diego Lawyer Chapter from 2009-2012, Johanna helped launch the San Diego Lawyer Chapter and organized professional programs including "Obama and the Courts: Judicial Appointments in the Obama Administration.", 2009
Pro bono/Community Service:
- La Jolla Music Society Board Member, Founding Member Allegro Society Since September 2010, Johanna has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the La Jolla Music Society. Johanna was a Founding Member of the Allegro Society--the young professionals organization of the La Jolla Music Society.
- Women Give San Diego, Founding MemberIn 2009, Johanna became a Founding Member of Women Give San Diego, a donor circle whose mission it is to advocate for the economic self-sufficiency and security of low-income women and girls in San Diego County. Since 2012, Johanna has served as the Co-Chair of the Advocacy Leadership Team of WGSD., 2009
- San Diego Leadership Alliance, Co-Director, Board of Directors Johanna was elected to serve a fourth term as Co-Director of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Leadership Alliance in July 2014. She also served as SDLA's Institute Chair in 2011, responsible for organizing the New Leaders Council Institute in San Diego. Johanna participated in the the six-month leadership training program as an NLC Fellow in 2010., 2010
Johanna Schiavoni:
Last Updated: 3/18/2020